Movie Poster

What hymn is that?

"Dancing Queen."

# Review

I actually watched this movie when it first came out, but after watching Conclave together, my girlfriend and I were in a papal film mood. The Two Popes follows a (probably fictional) friendship between Pope Benedict XVI (Anthony Hopkins) and the future Pope Francis (Jonathan Pryce). The film dives into the two’s backgrounds and their ideological differences.

The film is very charming, such as the opening with Pope Francis trying to order plane tickets on the phone. While the story can get very raw, such as exploring Pope Francis’ past, there’s always a humorous undertone throughout the movie and it makes the film feel more human. Hopkins is one of my favourite actors (although I can never unsee him as Hannibal in The Silence of the Lambs) and I really liked Pryce’s role as the religious leader High Sparrow in Game of Thrones. The two both have amazing chemistry together all the while having their characters be perfect foils for one another. The film is definitely on the slower end with its conversational focus, but it does dive into some very interesting themes such as change versus compromise and loneliness versus solitude.

# Conclusion

A lighthearted and reflective dialogue between two popes.

# Overall rating: 7.5

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